St. Paul daily globe., 1887-01-19
fhe Presbytery of St. Paul Wrestles With
the Unpleasantness in the First Pres
byterian Church.
A Thorough Sitting Of the Troublesome
Case by the Special Commission of
Investigation.
State Horticulturists in Annual Ses-
SION n--1mprovements Ordered by
the City Council.
A Celebrated Painting--Bits Of Local
News From Many Sources, Be-
side the Carnival.
TRouBLEIN A CHURCH.

A Long Story of the Differences Ese-
tween astor ana eople of the
First Presbyterian Church.
The st. Paul presbytery yesterday under
took to straighten out the troubles in the
First Presbyterian church between the
pastor, Rev. Nathaniel West, and the society.
Before the presbytery closed its session it
found that it had a large bit of work on its
hands, and vast deal of history, some of it
prett ancient, though hitherto unpublished.
There was an attendance of about fifty, en-
braclng about all the clergymen and
iaymen In st. Paul and Minneapolis who
are entitled to sit in the presbytery.
Several wordy squabbles were INDUCED
In, and numerous bits of humor came
out 1t is matter of general public
knowledge that the relations between
DR.. West and the church over which he has
been preaching have not been harmonious.
After he fad been with the church some
months, though never having formally ac-
cepted the call, the proposition was made to
him to submit to a reduction Of $1,000 in his
salary. This he declined to do, and from
about that time the trouble seems to haze be-
gun. 1t has been charged by his people that
he was not possessed of any tact in his pas
torsl work, that b e was on plane too high
for his congr CATION and that under his pas
torateship the church was gradually going to
pieces. commission was appoint ed to in
yestiSate and report to the presbJ terry and
the developments yesterday showed that q
good deal OF inside matter had been dug
out by this efficient commission.
Dr. West was present yesterday looking
somewhat worn out aud as if he were in any
mood but happy one. When the roll of the
preSbytery was being made up the name of
MIR. Cooper, of the First Presbyterian church,
was called. Dr. West at once said that Mr..
Cooper had no right to sit in the preSbytery,
as he had not been placed on the roll by
proper session of his church. The session
had not been presided over by the pastor, nor
had the regular clerk been acting. This pro-
voked d general and
HEATED DISCUSSION,
in which the laws governing the church were
gone into, and the actions on this point of the
general assemblies as far back as 1869 were
produced and read. 1t was finally decided to
h gar the report of the commission before set
ting his point. DR.. Boardman read 1t,
the report consisting of the minutes
of nine meetings of the committee
at which testimony had been taken. Wit
nesses had been examined oy the commission
and their testimony had been taken in full
Mr.. Cooper had testified that the church
wanted to reduce the salary of Mr.. West to
help out the church financially. His testi-
mony was to the effect that DR.. West had
gone away on a vacation for six weeks aud
given no notice to his congreg alton. That he
had said on one occasion that he was going to
be present at the bedside of q dyin sister.
and then had gone to Northfield to supply a
pulpit. before Fastening to the dying bed.
Dlr. cooper naQ tU q Inc COnEnlS sion t0aG Ut.
VESTS temperance ideas were driving people
from the church, the single remark that he
believed that it was a good thing to take a
little wine for the stomach's sake having
caused two families to leave the chul ch. Mr.
Cooper also t6 fled that DR.. w est had been
telling people that the church was SO slow in
payiI G his salary that he had been Obliged to
pawn his watch to pay his bills. In addition
to these complaints. Mr.. Cooper also testified
that DR.. West drew the lines too tightly for
his congregation to follow.
Following the reading of the evidence came
long statement from DR.. West, as sort of
rebuttal. He said that he had been called
very urgently by the church society. He had
been promised $4,000 year as salary, and an
advance of $1,000 to furnish the parsonage. .
He had hesitated long time, and had finally
come. though he had never accepted the call.
He said that the history of this church, since
it had been presided over by Rev. Mr.. Mad
dock some years ago, had been a continued
story OF strife between pastor and
people. The usual routine was for a
preacher to be a candidate on trial. then re-
eeive u call, then be ordained. This was fol-
lowed by s hort era of prosperity and then
came row between the pastor and the
church. The whole proceeding took. on the
average, about two years. He believed there
was something
WRONG IN THE CHURCH.
He claimed il was not the correct thing, in
cutting down pastors salary,to 10 take adyan-
pass resolution to that effect without even
suggesting such thing to the man on the
quiet. He resented this aud had declined to
accept the cut to protect his own manhood.
He branded as false the 8 atements that he
was creating dissenson in the church. As
to having pawned his watch to get money to
pay his bills, he said that the society
had once been owing him $50 on salary, which
be needed to meet bill. He had written MIR.
Cooper for it and received no reply. He had
n n Mr. i,a,t
got no returns in the shape of cash, and had
accordingly borrowed sou from a friend leav-
ing his watch as security. The friend had
objected to this, but DR.. West said he had
eft the watch for his own peace of mind.
The next Sunda he had, at the church door,
asked his friend to loan him his watch to time
his sermon by, remarking, You know l have
no watch now" DIR. West complained that
Misrepresentation had been made to him as
to the financial conditions of the society. He
had been told that the church was out of
debt, and he had held special services
over tue event. He had offered a fervent
prayer of thanksgiving before the throne of
grace that the church was out of debt, while
the debt was still unpaid, some one having
told him an untruth. He was not told of this
eyen at the service, but was leIt to find it out
as best he could. DR.. West also said that
kind Providence, through what seemed an
aftiletlon, had spared him some other annoy
Ance at the hands of the trustees. He had
been promised $1,000 TO fit up a parsonage.
This he had never seen, but as his sister had
Wed, 1t was impossible for him to go to keep
lng house, and the annoyance that would
have come to him by reason of the nom
payment of the $1,000 had been spared. He
had fitted up no house but had been boarding
AT THE RYAN HOTEL.
he dwelt in most touching strain on the
heart bleeding that this action on the part OF
O. church. where he had done the hardest
work of his life, had been his reward. and he
" f0rcihiR n n hal of
chat there Was a personal motive in it all.
Several OF the members Of the church, in
Guiding Messrs. Cooper, Jewett and Tinker.
had said that they would be willing to leave
the church If it wonld benefit the society.
The reading Of the testimony taken before
she commission occupied fully two hours. and
1t its conclusion the presbytery took recess
until evening. At 1:30 o'clock the members
bame together for another stormy session.
which lasted about two hours. The commits
sion CLOSED its report by submitting pream-
ble and resolution criticsing the trustees of
the church The resolutions ard the report
Of the commission were Endorsed by the pres
bytery. The resolutions recite that
Whereas, a majority of the trustees have
excluded from the church during the time of
stated worship on Sunday and Wednesday
for several weeks past the members of the
congregation and the paster-elect, Rev. Dr.
West, and have caused the house to be closed
during hours OF worship and have caused the
gas meter to be removed and prevented the
sexton from heating the house, it is resolved.
that DR.. West Is entitled to the use of the
house and that it should be kept open, heated
and lighted at the regular times of worship.
The members are ordered to desist from the
unlawful acts and from obstructing the
pastor in the discharge of his duties. They
are ordered to replace the gas meter.
No sooner was the report read than Mr.
Cooper wanted TO be heard on behalf of the
trustees. This request brought out dis
.ussion that was at times heated. Dr. West
relsiiIned that if this WAS done IL rzn,,ld ho